Lessons in Friendship
by Elbatsnu
Summary: AU - formerly "Untitled as of Yet". Revised. Duo's getting pushed around by some bastards at his school, but won't tell Heero who. Heero's starting to get pissed. Having a pissed Heero is bad.
1. A Mother Hen

Disclaimer: Not mine. Somebody else's.

Pairings: 12, 34, 5M, 69

Revised as of: July 2004.

Chapters are short – sorry

Chapter One – A Mother Hen

Duo had been denied many things in his life.

A single, working mother - that he loved dearly - had raised him, but he had been denied a father figure. Because of his mother's job, and her attempts at making ends meat for the both of them, he wasn't allowed expensive gifts or some of the luxuries that others were.

Duo didn't mind, though. He was perfectly happy without a satellite dish, or a computer, or a car of his own. He had a part-time job on weekends that allowed him to have a bit of spending money, but he spent that on his friends and their outings for the most part.

What he did allow himself to buy, though, were necessities. Necessities like brand new boots, or new pants, or a new jacket.

Duo grinned and looked at himself in the hall mirror again. His brand new winter jacket was a dark blue color, and he thought it looked great on him. He gave himself a once-over and marched to the door.

"MOM! I'm leaving! See you later!" Without waiting for a reply, Duo marched out the front door and down the driveway. It was freezing out - all the more reason for his jacket. The wind whipped around him, sending his braid flying in different directions every ten seconds. The cold nipped at Duo's uncovered ears, but he didn't notice.

What he did notice was a few large seniors standing at the end of his block, apparently not bothered by the cold. This small group of seniors didn't particularly like him, being a lowly eleventh grader, even though his best friend could probably beat the shit out of all of them without breaking a sweat. But Heero wasn't here, and he wasn't as skilled in the fighting as his counterpart, so he opted for the next best choice.

He tore across dear old Mrs. Leahy's front lawn.

Heero marched up the front steps of his High School, anxious to get away from the cold air. The second he stepped through the door, a bundle of blonde hair _fell _into his arms, holding him close briefly before jumping away and mumbling something about 'cold'. Heero sighed and glanced down at his shorter friend – a word neither could stress enough, especially to the girl's friends.

"Hello, Relena. How are you?"

Relena's entire face brightened. "I'm great, Heero! How're you?"

"Cold." Heero smirked as Relena rolled her eyes.

"I noticed."

Heero shrugged. "You didn't have to attack me."

"Why I-!" Relena started, but then glanced out the window of the door behind him. A hand flew to her mouth and she gasped. "That's..."

Heero shot her a questioning look and glanced out the window. The double-take almost gave him whiplash, but he wasn't concerned about that at the moment. What concerned him was the person outside, in the freezing cold, wearing nothing but jeans and a t-shirt, with that tell-tale braid swishing behind him as he walked. Barefoot.

Heero was out the door in seconds, racing out to his friend, who, he noticed, was a slight shade of blue. "Duo! Where the hell are your SHOES?! Where's your jacket?! What the HELL are you doing out here like that?" Duo glanced up at the shouting, already knowing who it was. He grinned at his rapidly approaching friend, which made his lips turn a sickening shade of white.

Duo was used to Heero's 'mother hen' moods, as he called them. He actually liked the attention he got from Heero, but never really knew what to expect from him. Today was no different.

Duo glanced up at the doors to the school and saw a horrified Relena still frozen in place. He waved. He hadn't noticed how close Heero had gotten, nor had he noticed Heero yanking off his letter jacket. He did notice the unbelievable amount of warmth that encircled him, however, and distantly felt himself being pulled along.

"No goddamn shoes, SOCK FEET! Sock feet, Duo! God damnit!" Heero punched his locker when he fumbled the combination again. He got it on the third try, and pulled out Duo's gym clothes.

Duo had felt that since otherwise he'd be on the other side of the school, he and Heero should share a locker. Plus, Duo had reasoned, Heero's locker was closer to all his classes. Heero had thought this to be a weak excuse, but allowed it only because it was _Duo_. They'd played with blocks in preschool, they'd played Cops n' Robbers when they were ten, they'd graduated Elementary School together.

And now they attended the same High School, shared the same locker, and Heero was currently pulling off Duo's socks and replacing them with dry ones as said boy sat on the hallway floor curled up in Heero's jacket and glaring at people walking by. A familiar stench brought his attention back to Heero.

"…Oi… Heero! Those socks smell!"

Heero snorted. "If you brought them home and got them washed once a month like I told you to, they wouldn't smell, now would they?" Duo rolled his eyes and Heero picked up the soaked socks and threw them in a nearby garbage can.

"Swish," Duo mumbled. "No wonder you're on the basketball team." Heero sighed and dug out Duo's gym shoes. He turned his head away so to not inhale the horrid smell. He offered them to Duo, but Duo shook his head, chuckling. "Can I wear yours? The teachers might kick me outta class."

Heero nodded and dug out his own shoes, handing them to the braided boy. "What happened this time?"

Duo smiled. "Well, they got me two blocks away from my house, three from the school. Took my watch, too." He held up a thin wrist, showing its bareness. "Well, I figured I was late enough, so I walked to school."

Heero frowned. "In your SOCKS, Duo?"

"What can I say," Duo shrugged, "I wasn't thinking straight."

"Where was your jacket?"

Duo smiled sadly.

"…Duo? Where's that jacket you've been boasting about getting for the past month and a half?"

Duo looked up with pained eyes. "Gone," he said. "It's GONE. I saved up for three months to get that jacket. And it was just taken, just like that." Duo's face curled in rage and he slammed his elbow back into the locker he leaned on. "Just like that."

"Who did it?" Duo shook his head. "Duo, who did it?" Silence. "Fine. One day you're going to tell me though, Duo, if I have to beat the shit outta you to get it." Duo smiled wistfully.

"Promise?"

Heero rolled his eyes and dragged his best friend to his sneaker-donned feet. "Come on, time for class."

End Chapter One – A Mother Hen


	2. Teaching Aspects

Chapter Two – Teaching Aspects

She knew right away that it had happened again. She knew, just like she knew who waked in the door by the sound their shoes made. And since she knew everyone's shoes, whenever she heard an unfamiliar footfall, she'd glance up. And she did, even though it was unnecessary. She knew it was Duo, because she knew the difference between sneakers and lace up steel-toe army boots. She just did.

She also knew what the other teachers said about her. They said she was heartless, didn't give a rat's ass about her students, and didn't know a thing about them. They were wrong, of course, but the only person that could back her up was the science teacher, and nobody really paid attention to Prof. Treize when they didn't have to. They figured he was crazy, and only he knew the truth about her.

The truth was, she _was_ heartless. She didn't exactly care about her students either, but she knew everything about them. All of them.

She knew the full name of who sat in desk #12 in fourth period, their eye color, their parents, whether or not they had pets… everything. Prof. Treize said a normal person would call her obsessive. They'd laughed and sipped their tea, continuing on with their conversation.

Her brown eyes narrowed behind her glasses. Heero's gym sneakers meant Duo lost another pair of shoes, and she sighed mentally. She knew who did it; she knew everything. She didn't care, though. Caring was for that fool Noin in Guidance, or the school's nurse, Sally. She was just a teacher, and wasn't required to care about her student's well-being. Besides, she didn't know how.

She also noticed Duo was sporting a rather nice Letter Jacket from the Varsity basketball team. The name Yuy was scripted on the sleeve near the shoulder, and her eyes fell on the blue-eyed boy to whom that name belonged. That boy always had extra clothes for his braided friend, and it was obvious he cared greatly for him, though his face told otherwise. The mask he wore, the one that said he was cold and heartless, was not unlike her own. The difference was he was able to feel, and she wasn't.

"Ms. Une?"

A tentative voice snapped her from her thoughts. She glanced sharply at the student who'd spoken – Quatre Winner, she recited. She saw him jump visibly and immediately softened her gaze. "Yes, Quatre?"

"Uh…" the boy stalled, glancing back for support that wasn't there. "The bell rang five minutes ago, Ms. Une.

She smiled softly. "Thank you, Quatre."

The young blonde smiled brightly and returned to his seat next to the stoic brunette. The one with the strange haircut, she mused, as one emerald eye watched the blonde sit and then swivel back to her. The other eye was hidden behind a large bang of brown hair. Trowa Barton was his name, and he was also on the basketball team, though he barely ever wore his jacket. It was an odd thing, really. Duo Maxwell wore Yuy's jacket more often than any member of the team members wore their own. She stopped her drifting thoughts and focused on teaching.

The class was still talking as she got up from behind her desk and stood in front of the room. Some continued even after she cleared her throat loudly. There was silence, however, when the deafening slam of a meter stick colliding with a wooden desk echoed through the room. Well, there was almost silence.

"Good morning, class. I'm glad to see I have your attention. Mr. Maxwell," Une's voice took a warning tone as she spoke, and said braided American spun in his chair and gazed up at her innocently. She also noticed a smirk on the student seated behind him, Heero Yuy, before it disappeared behind another mask.

She smiled inwardly – it was going to be an interesting day. She just knew these things.

"Ms. Une."

The woman's head shot up, frowning at the intercom. "Yes, Mr. Peacecraft?"

Duo frowned. It was 9:47 AM, and that meant a nice visit with his favorite faculty member – Lucrezia Noin. He really liked Ms. Noin, especially since she was really AUNT Noin, but he _didn't_ like being pulled out of class every day to "visit" her.

"Please send Duo Maxwell…"

"Yes, sir." Ms. Une interrupted him, making Duo grin. He stood abruptly, gathering his books, and stalked to the door. He turned around and looked at Quatre.

"Q, if I don't make it to second period, tell them the dogs got me. Okay?" Quatre rolled his eyes and nodded. Duo waved to the room, blew a kiss at Ms. Une, and disappeared through the doorway.

"…Thank you, Ms. Une."

"Not a problem, _sir_."

Duo pulled open Heero's locker, stashing his binder inside. Before the stench of his sneakers could attack him, he slammed the locker door closed. He clipped the lock into place and spun on his heel, heading towards Ms. Noin's office.

Thankfully, she didn't have much to say, so he was allowed to leave in less than five minutes. A routine check-up, making sure he hadn't gotten the crap kicked out of him again. Duo frowned. It had only happened _once_. Besides, they'd surprised him.

He quickly opened his shared locker, and grabbed his Science binder. He shut the locker, locking it, and spun on his heel. Not glancing in front of him before moving, he almost ran straight into a pristine basketball jersey. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach, and glancing upwards, he saw that it was indeed one of his muggers. _Great_, he sighed inwardly.

"Well hello there, Maxwell." The senior bent down a bit, so he wasn't completely towering over Duo. Duo didn't like consideration from assholes.

"Mueller," he acknowledged the senior, and moved to walk around him. Mueller stepped to the side and blocked his path.

"And where might you be going?"

Duo's eyes narrowed. "Well gee, I figured I'd go shopping. How the hell is it your business?"

"It's my business because you're wearing a basketball jersey. Why are you wearing one, Maxwell? _You're_ certainly not on the team," Mueller spat, poking Duo in the chest. "And I'm pretty sure you don't _own_ a jacket…" Duo's eyes narrowed, left hand clenching into a fist.

"Hey!" A shout sounded down the hallway, and Duo let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. He didn't need to be expelled for kicking the shit out of a senior. Not to mention get attacked for the rest of his school career by GROUPS of seniors.

Glancing around Mueller's bulky form, he saw an unfamiliar Chinese boy with jet-black hair stalking towards them. He wore wiry glasses, and his hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Duo clutched the end of his loose braid, wondering how this guy could possibly wear his hair that tight.

"Hi!" Duo waved at the newcomer, trying to act as normal and friendly as possible. This new guy wasn't too thick, but Duo could see the muscles on his arms, and they almost reminded him of Heero.

The Asian's eyes narrowed, and he glanced at Mueller with sharp onyx eyes. "I'm looking for Science with Professor Treize, period two," he informed Duo, shifting his gaze between them both. Duo grinned.

"What a coincidence, that happens to be my class. Excuse me, _buddy_," Duo said, sweetly as possible. "But we'll have to finish this conversation later." Duo's gaze shifted to the new guy. "C'mon, let's go."

He nodded, following Duo and leaving Mueller alone in the hallway. And since he was alone, no one heard him reply, "you bet we will."

"Problems with the team?" the Asian boy questioned. Duo shot him a confused look, but then remembered the jacket.

Duo chuckled. "I dunno, maybe they are. This isn't my jacket."

"So I'm to assume that your last name is not 'Yuy', then?"

Duo grinned. "Right, I'm Duo. Duo Maxwell." The raven-haired youth nodded, halting and bowing to Duo.

"I am Chang Wufei." Straightening to his normal height, not much taller than Duo, his lips curved ever-so slightly. "You may call me Wufei, if you wish."

"Cool. Nice to meet you, 'Fei." Duo stuck his hand out, shaking Wufei's roughly.

"No, no," Wufei started. "It is WUfei, not 'Fei'"

"Ah, right. C'mon, Wu-man." Duo gave him a push on the shoulder, and pulled a classroom door open. "HEY, PROFESSOR!" he called, making Wufei wince. A chuckle sounded from the classroom, and when Wufei stepped inside, he saw a ginger-haired man in a labcoat nodding to Duo.

"Prof., I brought you a new student. I'll let him introduce himself, though, because I don't really have a reason to do it for him. It's not like he was lost in the hallways or something..-YEOW! Heero!"

Onyx eyes had shifted to watch Duo's speech, and had seen the hand reach up from behind Duo and pull on his braid. Connecting hand to face, he saw that it was a Japanese youth that had done it - one with the sharpest blue eyes he'd ever seen.

"Cut it out, guys. Duo, thank you and please take a seat." The ginger-haired man looked at him, smile plastered on his face. "Hi, and welcome to OFHS. I was informed there would be two of you - did the other one get lost?"

Wufei blinked, surprised at the question. "…No. She will be arriving after lunch."

The professor frowned. "Well that's too bad. I was interested in meeting her. Well, feel free to sit anywhere you like." Wufei nodded, and moved to find a seat when he heard a hissing noise. Surveying the room quickly, he saw that it had been Duo.

"Pssssst! Introduce youself!" Duo flashed him a thumbs-up, and Wufei resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Of course, my apologies." He turned to the class, bowing deeply. "My name is Chang Wufei."

"But you may call him Wufei!" Duo chimed, grinning at the Chinese boy. Wufei smirked.

"Yes, you may."

End Chapter 2 – Teaching Aspects


	3. Cafeteria Pranks

Chapter 3 – Cafeteria Pranks

"And when you add the two chemicals together, a white smoke should begin to seep out of the test tube…" Duo tuned out Prof. Kushranada's voice, watching Heero perform the task. He hated this class, it was boring and they never got to blow anything up. Heero said that Duo's love of explosives was dangerous, and never allowed him to purchase firecrackers when they went to the mall. What Heero didn't know was that when he turned his back, Duo bought at least twelve. He'd almost burned down the tree in his backyard, but it had been fun.

Duo sighed, arching his back and stretching lazily. Heero calmly sat and awaited further instructions, not interested in how the other students were doing. He turned to Duo, who was trying his hardest _not_ to fall asleep. The violet-eyed boy smiled. "Ne, Heero? Doesn't this class make _you_ wanna sleep?" Heero shrugged and Duo chuckled, knowing that would be his answer.

"I wish that it this class hadn't been a requirement. I already know how to do things far more advanced than this." Heero drummed his fingers on the desk, the only sign of Heero's boredom.

Duo nodded. "Hai, I think the Prof. would agree with you," Duo replied, gesturing to where their teacher was trying not to strangle a boy who'd done the entire exercise wrong.

Heero sighed, knowing it would take the professor awhile to get the boy caught up. Duo yawned, looking around the room. He found his gaze drawn to the window, and his brow furrowed. 

Heero turned back to his friend and saw his features as they changed. His lazy but content face was gone, replaced with one of disappointment, anger and anxiety. Heero blinked at the sudden change, but followed Duo's gaze. His jaw dropped in a silent gasp.

Outside, one of the fiercest blizzards in the town's history continued to add layers to the previous blanket of snow.

Once they were finally dismissed from Professor Kushranada's class, Duo immediately headed to the cafeteria. He snagged a spot in the line, grabbing two trays and placing them on the racks. He slid them along as the line moved, deep in thought. When Heero found him he was still shuffling along slowly. Heero smirked and snuck up behind him. He would probably catch hell for this later but it would be worth the show.

Heero smirked, approaching slowly and reached out slowly. Suddenly, his hands snatched the shoulders of the jacket and he pulled back abruptly. "Duo!" he shouted. "Duo! Come quick! The monkeys are flying, Duo!"

"WHAT?!" Duo hollered, jumping a foot into the air and spinning, looking around wildly. He blinked and paused, staring at Heero. "Oh, you bastard!" Heero smirked and was turning a light shade of red from containing his laughter. Others didn't bother, though, and chuckled out loud at the sight of the boy with a braid and his messy haired friend. It was a game they played, the two of them. Every once in awhile one would get the jump on the other, and the other would extract revenge.  The monkeys, however, were a running joke.

"Heero, you _know_ that the monkeys only come out at night!" Quatre Winner smiled brightly at the two from his place in the line behind Duo. Their scene had slowed the line, but nobody made a move to cut in front.

"Yes, I know that, Quatre. I'm afraid that Duo forgot, though," Heero cast a disapproving look at Duo, who was glaring at him and shuffling the trays along.

"And to think I saved a tray for you, you sneaky asshole." Heero grinned, but Quatre beat him to the punch.

"Aww, you did? That's sooo sweet of you, Duoo!" Quatre pretended to swoon, and would have fallen on the floor had Trowa Barton not been behind him. He caught the blond boy swiftly, settling him back on his feet. "Why thank you, my dear Trowa!" Quatre grinned and spun away, not noticing the faint blush that spread on the taller boy's cheeks. Duo, however, did, and filed it away inside his memory.

"Hey," Heero said after taking his place in front of Duo with the saved tray. "Isn't that the new guy?"

"Wufei?" Duo asked, looking around. "Where?"

"In the doorway, Duo," came the response, and Duo's eyes swiveled in that direction. Sure enough, the Chinese boy was standing and looking around cautiously at the room. Duo also noticed that a Chinese girl was accompanying him. Duo grinned, taking a step from the line and trusting his friends to keep his tray moving.

"WUFEI!" he bellowed, his voice thundering across the room and causing the Chinese couple to jump in surprise. Both pairs of eyes were wide turned to stare at him. Duo waved. The girl smiled and waved back, muttering something to Wufei before grabbing his arm and dragging him over.

"Hey there!" Duo said when they were within hearing range. "Did I scare ya?" He grinned when Wufei's eyes narrowed.

"Maxwell, I don't know what possessed you to holler at the top of your lungs, but I'd appreciate it if you never did it again." Duo just shrugged, deciding not to answer. He smiled at the girl and stuck out his hand.

"Duo. Duo Maxwell. And you are?" The girl grinned in return, eyeing Wufei before returning the handshake.

"I am Meiran Long. It is good to meet you."

Duo immediately noticed that Meiran's accent was much more distinct than Wufei's had been. The two looked a lot alike.

"Are you two related?" Duo couldn't help but ask, surprised when Wufei began to sputter and Meiran laughed.

"No, we're not related. Yet," she eyed Wufei out of the corner of her eye again. "But that is not something I would like to discuss in the middle of a cafeteria." She smiled again, and Duo blushed sheepishly.

"Yeah, I s'pose. I gotta get my…" Duo turned to the line and saw that Heero, Quatre, and Trowa were no longer in it. He sighed and scanned the room, finding them sitting at a larger table than usual. He smiled at their consideration. "Never mind. You guys wanna grab some food and then join us over there?" Duo gestured to the other guys, pleased when Quatre waved. Meiran waved back, and Wufei nodded to Duo.

"That would be fine. Come, Meiran." He tugged on Meiran's elbow, and though she did follow him she complained the entire way.

"You will not command what I do, Chang Wufei. I am my own person and do not have to answer to your every whim. I do not wish for you to order my lunch, either!"

Wufei eyed her. "Do you not wish for me to pay as well?" Meiran frowned.

"That is _not_ fair. You are the one with the money."

Wufei smirked and continued to the line, grabbing two trays, considering, and ending up with only one. Meiran huffed and snatched her own tray, hurrying forward so she wasn't left too far behind.

Duo chuckled at their antics and sank into his seat beside Heero. The table was round, and there were two seats left vacant, no doubt for the Chinese couple. "I gotta say, it was nice of you guys to include them."

Trowa smirked, nodding. "It was Quatre's idea, of course." The blond Arabian blushed and continued to eat his soup.

"Oi, Heero! You got me soup?!" Duo exclaimed, staring down at the puddle in shock. "I _know_ that there was a special on Spare Ribs today!"

Heero smirked and handed him a spare rib from his own tray, which Duo snatched up and ate. He frowned at the Japanese boy.

"Duo, soup is better for you. It's also much cheaper. If you're not full after that then you can get another bowl."

"Augh, Heero, the soup'll be cold!" Duo glared at Heero again before shoving a piece of bread in his mouth.

"Cold day. Soup good." Trowa piped up, gesturing to Quatre's bowl of soup. It didn't go unnoticed to Duo that Trowa had spare ribs on his own plate. He was about to comment when Wufei and Meiran decided to make their appearance.

"Hello!" Meiran chirped, smiling broadly. "I am Meiran Long. Would it be all right for Wufei and I to sit with you all?"

The group nodded in unison. Wufei placed his tray on the table and regarded them all solemnly. "I thank you for your hospitality."

 The Chinese couple took their seats. Meiran sat next to Quatre, and Wufei ended up next to Heero. Wufei had soup identical to Duo's, but Meiran had… spare ribs…

"Heeero! Even Mei has spare ribs! You're just doing this to torture me!"

Meiran's eyebrows rose at 'Mei, but Heero smirked. "Wufei has soup. Now stop complaining."

"Can I have one of yours? Pleease Heero!"

Quatre laughed. "He sounds like Relena-san!" Trowa smirked.

"Quatre, I think he's doing it on purpose."

Meiran blinked in confusion and turned to Quatre. "Who is Relena-san?"

Duo paused in his pleading to point across the room at a table filled with females. They were all talking animatedly to each other, but one stood out more than the rest. She had golden hair pulled back from each side, and thick bangs hanging over her forehead. She somehow managed to look completely calm while talking as excitedly as the rest of the table. She had big, bright blue eyes, and looked straight into the eyes of every person she spoke to.

"Relena-san has very rich parents, and is kind of like a princess around here. We get quite a few Japanese exchange students, and they started the trend of calling her Relena-san. After awhile, everybody started doing it, whether they knew Japanese or not."

Duo grinned. "I think Heero's the only Japanese guy in this school that _doesn't_ call her that."

"Hn. I've known her since I was six. She wasn't Relena-san back then and she isn't now."

Meiran considered this carefully. "So… Relena-san is Japanese? What does it mean? I have studied some Japanese, but…" She smiled shyly.

"Relena-san means Miss Relena, does it not?" Wufei asked, directing his question towards Heero.

Heero nodded. "More or less, yes. You studied Japanese, Wufei?" Wufei smirked.

"It was a requirement in my studies that Meiran never got around to doing."

Meiran stuck her tongue out at Wufei, surprising them all, and she smiled at the group. "I have been concentrating more on my English than Japanese."

"You are doing a very fine job," Trowa commented before shoving another spare rib in his mouth. Duo glared at him.

"You got a double order, didn't you, Barton?"

Quatre gasped loudly. "Oh Allah! We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm so sorry. My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. It is a pleasure to meet you both." He gestured to Wufei, who nodded in return.

"Trowa Barton," Trowa spoke up, grinning at Duo and biting on another spare rib

"And I have already met Duo," Meiran nodded, smiling. She turned to the Japanese boy, who was watching the conversation. "You, however, I have not met."

"Heero Yuy. It's nice to meet you, Meiran." Meiran grinned.

"You're all such nice people! See, Wufei? I told you not all Americans were loud and obnoxious!"

Duo spit out the soup he had in his mouth, and Quatre looked disgusted while Heero and Trowa laughed.

"Actually," Trowa said. "Duo is the only real American. I am European, Quatre is Arabian, and Heero is Japanese."

"But Duo is still loud and obnoxious," Heero added, earning him a smack in the arm from Duo. Quatre had gone to retrieve napkins for the braided boy. Wufei smirked.

"See, woman? I was right." Meiran stuck her tongue out at him, and continued to eat her spare ribs. Duo whined and Heero finally caved, handing the dripping boy a spare rib. He ate it happily, thanking Quatre when he returned with napkins.

Ten minutes later the intercom buzzed to life, conversation in the cafeteria dying down a bit so the announcement could be heard. "Duo Maxwell, please report to the Guidance Counselor's office. Duo Maxwell. Also, would Mia Serause please come to the office? You have a package waiting for you." The intercom beeped loudly to show the end of the message and Duo sighed.

"I knew Aunt Noin's session was too short. I guess I'll see you guys later, eh?" Duo grinned, snatching a spare rib off Trowa's plate and walking out of the cafeteria. Trowa frowned at the place his last spare rib had sat for a few minutes before sighing forlornly. Quatre patted him on the shoulder and smiled sympathetically.

"Aunt Noin?" Meiran questioned. Heero had to hand it to the girl - she was definitely inquisitive.

Quatre nodded, removing his hand from Trowa's shoulder. "Yeah, Duo's mom and the Guidance Counselor are sisters. Miss Noin's name is really Lucrezia Noin, but Duo calls her Aunt Noin in and out of school."

Heero smirked. "Miss Noin doesn't appreciate being called Lucrezia; not even by her sister."

"Not even by Millie!" Trowa added, causing the other two boys to laugh. The Chinese couple looked mildly confused, but before Meiran could ask, the bell rang. Heero frowned at Duo's half-eaten bowl of soup, mentally noting to get him some for after school. His friend was likely to be hungry. He collected both their trays, nodded to the rest of the table and maneuvered to the front of the cafeteria.

Quatre smiled at the couple, picking up his tray and waiting patiently for them to do the same.. "We'll see you guys later, right? I have English first period, Science period two, Advanced Math period three, and Phys. Ed period four. What about you?"

Wufei gathered up his own tray, knowing Meiran would yell at him if he attempted to collect hers as well. "I have Math first period and Science second period. In the afternoon I have English and finally Phys. Ed."

Meiran nodded. "I have the same first, second and fourth, but my third period is Visual Arts."

Trowa smirked. "You have Arts with Duo next, then." Wufei's eyebrows rose but Heero had just returned.

"Are you going to stand around all day? We're going to be late!" he scolded, watching as they hurried to the front of the room. He smirked and made his way from the cafeteria, watching for a certain braided boy by reflex with no realization of it at all.

End Chapter Three – Cafeteria Pranks


	4. Fissures

Chapter Four – Fissures

Duo pushed his way through the students in the hallway, trying to make his way to his aunt's office. He was going to be late since he'd stopped at the bathroom along the way, but he enjoyed keeping his aunt on her toes. Being that this was his second call in one day, he felt she deserved to know exactly how he felt about that. Inside his mind, a speech was slowly creating itself about how he wanted to just live his life, and not have to worry about getting pulled out of class or lunch just to get checked up on.

Duo sighed. He knew that his mother and aunt were just trying to make sure he was safe, but they were taking it a little extreme. As he rounded the corner towards his aunt's office, something caught his eye that caused him to stop dead. Dark blue, puffy, obviously new…

His jacket.

That bastard Mueller was holding his jacket.

Duo's eyes narrowed and he approached the large senior from behind. Apparently the dark haired boy hadn't noticed him yet, as the jacket hung loosely in his grasp. Duo wasn't breathing anymore, concentrating on making as little noise as possible. When he was less than two feet away, he began to reach out slowly.

"MUELLER!" A shout called out from behind him, and instead of jumping, Duo used this momentary distraction to snatch the jacket and tear down the hallway past Mueller.

"What the f-… MAXWELL! GET YOUR SKINNY ASS BACK HERE!"

The pounding footsteps of Mueller and whoever had yelled echoed in the hallways. Duo turned down the hallway at random, only concentrating on getting away – not where to get away to. On further reflection, Duo realized this was a bad idea, but all he could think about was the elation that came with holding the jacket in his hands again. He clutched it to his chest tightly and rounded another corner, only to find himself faced with a locker-filled dead end.

Duo paled considerably, denial flooding his mind as he turned slowly. Mueller and the other guy – Alex, another senior – had reached the mouth of the small corridor, and were breathing heavily from the unexpected chase. Duo glared angrily at them, tightening his grip on the jacket in his arms. He would not give it up again.

Mueller, having finally caught his breath, snarled at Duo. "Well well, fairy boy, I guess you didn't learn your lesson the last time."

Alex grinned manically. "I was sure he was trying to grab your ass too, that faggot."

"Is that true?" Mueller eyed Duo, eyed narrowing as he didn't respond. "That's sick."

"Poor little queer, stuck in a hallway all alone," Alex mocked, taking up a cocky pose. "Maybe he wants us to punish him, Mueller. He probably gets off on it, that sick fuck. Ain't that right, Maxwell?"

Duo hadn't moved the entire time, continuing to glare at the two seniors. His feet were spread apart slightly and could be called a defensive stance if his arms hadn't been so securely wrapped around his jacket. "I find it highly pathetic that you can only think of two things to call me, and I don't feel like wasting my time with you, so it'd be in your best interest if you were to just walk away."

Mueller and Alex however, weren't fazed by his demonic voice and the threats laced within his speech. They merely glared and stalked forward, and a small part of Duo accepted that even though there was no escape, he wasn't going to lose. He would never lose. He closed his eyes slowly, never once loosening the hold on his jacket.

_Sorry, Heero, but I won't fight back…_

"Heero Yuy, please report to Miss Noin's office immediately. Heero Yuy."

Heero's head shot up from the paper he'd been writing. His brow furrowed, but he stood, gathered his things, and left the classroom. His professor, known by the class as Howard, never looked up once.

That class was the only one that he didn't have with Duo. Relena took Advanced Writing as well, but Heero found that it just wasn't as interesting without the braided boy there to comment on the things the teachers would say. His friend was extremely inquisitive, and most times Heero found that after the teacher had survived through a volley of Duo's questions he had learned much more than the lesson could have taught him.

Consumed with his thoughts, he didn't notice that when he stopped outside Noin's door that there were two voices on the inside, and that neither were Duo's. He knocked lightly.

"Come in!"

Heero opened the door, frowning when he saw that both Noin and Mr. Peacecraft were in the room. Milliardo Peacecraft was leaning against the front of Noin's desk. He was the school's secretary, and was responsible for keeping track of every student's enrollment and their placement in the courses. He also made the announcements at the beginning and ending of the day over the intercom. He had an enormous job to fulfill and reputation to uphold, but he did so gracefully and thoroughly. He was also Relena's step-brother.

"Heero." Milliardo nodded in greeting and Heero frowned, turning to look at Noin. She looked more stressed out than usual.

"Did Duo not give you a good report?" Heero inquired, wondering if that was the cause of Noin's distress. The woman shook her head and stood, pushing a lock of short black hair out of her face.

"Heero… Duo never showed up." Heero's brow furrowed.

"I saw him leave the cafeteria. He should have been here within minutes." Noin nodded, frowning.

"He should have been, but he never showed up. And I can't help but worry even though I know he's independent and can take care of himself. I know he's been having problems, and I can't see my nephew forgetting to show up."

Heero placed his schoolbag on the floor, glancing at Milliardo. He had a bad feeling about the question he was about to ask.

"Was he in class?"

The platinum-haired man shook his head, but Noin was the one to answer. "No, Heero, and that's another reason that we're worried. I'm sure you know how much he enjoys that class. What if something happened to him, Heero?" The young woman was starting to break down, and Heero watched as Milliardo moved from his perch against her desk to slip an arm around her. Their relationship was no secret, so it the display didn't bother Heero at all. Being friends with both Duo and Relena, he knew both adults quite well.

What bothered him was Duo's disappearance. The braided boy _never_ left without telling someone, and here they were, with Duo nowhere to be found.

The bell signaling the ending of period three barely registered in the minds of the three in the office. Noin was trying to get control over her emotions again, while Milliardo stood quietly in an attempt to comfort her, and Heero stood, racking his brain to think of where Duo could have gone.

Wufei left his English class quickly, weaving through the students towards the classroom he'd brought Meiran to when he'd dropped her off. She would, no doubt, have many stories about the lively American and her experience in her first American classroom. He knew from experience what a class with Duo was like, and it was far from boring.

He stood outside the door and waited for her to be dismissed, smiling and nodding to Trowa as the tall brunette made his way to his locker. He watched make his way down the hall until Meiran appeared at his side, a frown marring her features.

"Is something wrong? Did you not enjoy your first class?"

Still frowning, Meiran shook her head. "No, it was very good. Duo was not there, though, and I cannot help but wonder why."

Soon Wufei was sporting a look that mirrored the small Chinese girl's. "Did Quatre not say you both had the same class?" Meiran nodded, and Wufei was about to ask more when a loud shout echoed down the halls. Both heads snapped in the direction Trowa had headed, only to find the tall brunette to be nowhere in sight. Wufei started down the hall quickly with Meiran at his heels, but before they'd gotten halfway Trowa appeared around the corner, an arm slung over his shoulders and dragging an unresponsive body. Meiran gasped.

"That's Duo!" Meiran hurried over to them both, Wufei right behind her. "What happened to him?"

"He's breathing kinda raggedly," Trowa replied, hefting the lithe boy. "But he's conscious. He's hurting, too, I think. I'm pretty sure somebody attacked him."

"But why?" Wufei asked incredulously. Duo didn't seem like the type to attract enemies. Trowa shrugged in response.

"Because they're assholes," he replied, hefting Duo once more. "I'm going to bring him to his aunt."

"We'll come with you," Meiran volunteered. Trowa nodded and the three made their way down the hall.

Quatre shut his locker, holding his gym bag loosely in his hand. He leaned back against it, patiently beginning his daily wait for Trowa. The European was always prompt to walk him to class, and it had become routine for them to go together every day. Quatre smiled – Trowa was the sweetest guy he knew.

Quatre did not really consider himself to be gay. He liked girls, he knew that much, but he found that whenever he was around Trowa his heart would beat a little faster and his cheeks would get a little warmer. He figured those were telltale signs of a crush.

Quatre glanced up from his musings with a frown on his face. Trowa was late. For anyone else he wouldn't even care if they were a minute late, but Trowa was _always_ punctual. His brow furrowed as he heard many voices rising in question, and one in particular telling people to get out of the way.

"Sounds like Trowa…" he murmured. Forgetting about waiting he made his way towards the voice. Pushing a few students out of the way, his eyes widened when he saw the four figures making their way through the crowd.

"Trowa?" Quatre called, walking forward. "What happened?"

The brunette looked up in surprise. Quatre glanced at the bundle in Trowa's arms and gasped. "Duo!"

The lithe brunette was conscious, and looked up wearily. Duo's face was covered in darkening bruises and he cringed, not wanting to know what his body would look like under Heero's jacket. Duo's arms were wrapped tightly around a blue bundle of something. Before he could determine what the object was, Wufei and Meiran appeared behind Trowa.

"Quatre!" Wufei greeted. "Get some of these morons out of the way, would you? We're trying to get Duo to the office."

The blond nodded, and with one more glance at Duo, Quatre turned and started ordering people out of the way.

Heero closed the door to Noin's office, frowning and leaning against the wall. What had happened to Duo this time? Heero knew that Duo was getting beaten up – that much was painfully obvious – but he could never convince the violet-eyed youth to tell him who. Heero's eyes narrowed with determination. He _would_ find out who was behind that, whether Duo wanted him to or not.

End Chapter Four - Fissures


	5. Betrayal

Due to much pestering, here is Chapter 5.

HOWEVER – the entire story has been revised for… well…. Authoress reasons. It's better now. Read it again.

Also… don't expect the next chapter soon. I'll have it as soon as time and III allow.

Chapter Five – Betrayal

"MOVE! Get out of my way!"

Trowa followed behind Quatre, knowing that though the blond looked meek, he was a force to be reckoned with. Given Quatre the job of clearing the way had been the correct decision, as students scrambled out of the way of the fearsome tyrant that had once been Quatre.

Trowa allowed himself a small smirk at the change, until Duo groaned again. Trowa muttered an apology and shifted him, Meiran rubbing his shoulder on the other side. She'd apparently taken over mothering Duo, and was cooing at him in her stilted English. Duo most likely appreciated it more than she could know.

Duo was strong, and though a beating like this would hurt his pride, overall he wouldn't change. Heero, however, was not going to be happy. And knowing Heero's tendency to overreact and take matters into his own hands, Trowa realized they were going to need a lot more manpower to stop him.

He didn't glance back to check, but he figured Wufei had a very pissed off look on his face. He hadn't heard much from the Chinese boy since they'd met up with Quatre, but Trowa figured he was back there somewhere. What Trowa was concerned about was what to tell Heero.

Heero snarled as a commotion started up in front of him. He hated the fact that he had needed to return to class, knowing that Duo was missing. He hated that Duo still hadn't shown up. He hated this stupid crowd that was forming in the hallway. He hated riots. No doubt an idiot had attacked another idiot and the idiots around them decided this was wonderful.

Heero was aware that his dark thoughts weren't helping the situation, but did nothing to quell them. He was concerned. He was … hell - he was _worried._ Duo was like a brother to him - _maybe even more_, a traitorous voice whispered - and it drove Heero insane to know that he couldn't help him.

The commotion was growing louder now, and Heero set his jaw. He would not snap. He would not go around attacking people for interrupting him while he was concentrating. And he would not…

"Hey, Trowa! What happened to Duo?"

Relena's voice carried in the hallway, causing Heero to freeze. He froze, staring down the hallway and willing students to move. He could hear Quatre hollering for people to get out of the way, and they were.

Impatient as he was known to be, Heero stalked forward and shoved some of the students out of the way. They cried out in protest, but this died off when they saw just who had shoved them. Heero had a bit of a reputation of being a fighter.

"There you are," Quatre greeted him. He held up his hands. "Now, I know you're going to get pissed, but I want you to think of this: Duo would not want you to. Okay?"

"Quatre," Heero said flatly. "Move."

The blond rolled his eyes and stepped aside, leaving Heero to see Trowa and Meiran flanking a hunched over Duo, with Relena bent in front of him. He could hear Relena speaking but couldn't discern the words she was saying.

"What in the fuck happened?" Heero found himself demanding almost immediately, stomping forward and causing the few students still clustered around them to back off. It was not unknown that Heero had a temper – he hadn't used it on anyone in awhile, but the fact remained that he could.

"Chill, man," Duo grunted. His eyes opened blearily and he glared at the Asian boy. "Don't go freaking out. I'm fine." He leaned a bit more on Trowa and held up his jacket. "Got it back."

"For fuck's sake, Duo," Heero growled.

"I'm _not_ telling you because it's _my_ problem," Duo grumbled. "And you'll just fucking…. Freak out. Like you're doing now."

A muscle twitched in Heero's neck. Relena rubbed his arm sympathetically. "Heero. He's going to be fine. You need to calm down because you're turning an ugly shade of purple."

"It's true," Trowa added, and Heero merely glared at him as well. After a slow breath, Heero's eyes trained on Duo's once more.

"Fine. You don't want my help? Fine," Heero stammered, shaking his head.

"Heero," Relena said warningly. Quatre stepped forward as well, but Heero took a step back.

"Fine."

With that as a parting word, Heero turned and walked away, obviously not headed towards his next class. Sure enough he headed towards his locker, obviously intending on heading home.

"Fuck," Duo sighed, sagging a bit. "…yeah. That's about right. _Fuck._"

"He just needs to cool off," Trowa muttered, leading Duo towards Sally Po's office. "Give him til about supper time."

"He should be better by then," Quatre muttered. Relena nodded and voiced her agreement as well. The warning bell for next class sounded, and the group paused.

"Well, I dunno about you guys," Duo drawled. "But I sure as hell am not going to gym."

"I'll get a late slip," Trowa commented dryly. Quatre smirked and nodded in agreement, but Relena had to leave. She promised to visit Duo as soon as possible and scuttled off. That left Meiran, standing next to Duo and looking as though in a crossroad.

"Mei," Quatre said, looking to the Chinese girl. She frowned at him. "Meiran," he amended. "You and Wufei should go to class."

Trowa looked back. "…Speaking of Wufei, just where is he?"

Heero made it twenty feet beyond the school before an odd noise made him pause. It had sounded familiar… and Heero knew why. It was the sound of someone getting the shit kicked out of them.

And the way Heero was feeling right now made him itch for a good beating.

He headed towards the source of the noise – the south end of the school – images of Duo, bruised and battered playing through his head. Once he got around the corner, though, he could only stare in shock.

"Wufei, what the hell are you doing?"

The exchange student looked up, surprised. In his hand he held a clumpful of hair, and attached to that clump of hair was Alex Wheeler, a basketball player. He was kneeling in the snow, and looked quite soaked already. The blond's eyes widened when they saw Heero.

"I'm teaching these assholes a lesson in honor," Wufei informed him, driving a snap kick into Alex's gut. The senior groaned and slumped over in a snow bank. Heero stared, stunned. Behind Wufei was Mueller Jackson  - another basketball player. He looked even worse than his teammate.

"Why?" Heero demanded, eyes wide.

Wufei glared at him. "Why? Why do you think? For kicking the shit out of Maxwell, that's why!"

Heero's blood ran cold as the snow blowing around them.

"What?" he rasped.

Wufei sighed and straightened, walking towards the Asian boy. "For kicking the shit out of Maxwell," he repeated. "Did you not know they were responsible?"

Heero's jaw worked soundlessly, betrayal ringing through him. How could… Duo tell Wufei, a boy he'd only just met, but not tell him? He'd…. been Duo's best friend since they were kids, but he'd tell Wufei…

"I… have… to go," Heero stammered. "I can't believe… you knew."

"I can't believe you didn't!" Wufei retorted, seemingly unbothered by the snow caking his hair. "What kind of friend sits around while his best friend is attacked by two assholes?"

Heero didn't reply. He eyed Wufei for a moment before turning and walking away slowly. It hurt him, really. It hurt that Duo would tell _Wufei_ who'd been attacking him, who'd been _tormenting_ him, but he wouldn't tell Heero.

What Heero couldn't understand was _why_.

Duo sighed as he made his way down the school steps. He'd _barely_ managed to keep Noin from calling his mother – that was all she needed. 'Hey, Hilde, you gotta leave your job because Duo's been beat up. Again.'

No, Duo's mother had dealt with enough crap and Duo wasn't interested in adding to the pile.

The side of his face had begun to bruise nicely – his entire left cheek was a deep shade of purple, while his jaw was still only red but showing the telltale signs of bruising. Sally Po, the nurse, had tsked over him as usual before pronouncing him relatively unharmed. She had, as usual, offered to have him fill out an incident report, and he had declined. As usual.

The only thing unusual about this particular incident was Heero's absence, to which Duo was headed to ask about. Normally Heero was almost overbearing, trying to get him to admit who was behind the attack. Duo had his pride, though. He was already mocked enough about being Heero's bitch – he didn't need Heero going around and beating people up for him.

He just wished he could be attacked by _one_ person for once, so he could actually win. Two or three guys mauling him in a hallway didn't seem very fair, and though Duo was quick and agile he wasn't a streetfighter.

Duo huddled into his jacket and made his way towards Heero's house. The boy lived only a few blocks from Duo's house, and was also within walking distance of the school. Thus, Duo braved what was shaping up to be a blizzard to seek him out.

He just hoped the upcoming confrontation wouldn't be _too_ messy.

End Chapter 5 – Betrayal


	6. No More Secrets

….eh. Sorry, Miaka! I forgot to reply via email. (or did I… …. Damn my memory…)

Regardless, sure you can post my stories! I'd be flattered as hell.

Also…. Ixy. Please stop reviewing my hiatus stories to badger me about updating. I'll update when I find the time and inspiration.

This fic is winding down. It might end up being my first finished multi-part. –squee!-

…

Chapter 6 – No More Secrets

…

"He's not here?"

Mrs. Yuy shook her head with a frown on her face. "No, of course not, Duo. He's in school." Duo looked around at a loss, shuddering a bit from the cold. Heero's mother noticed and ushered him inside. "Why are you not in school?"

Duo adored Mrs. Yuy. She was a short, longhaired oriental woman who spoke heavily accented English and doted upon her son, and her son's best friend. She was only around forty years old, but she looked almost as young as Duo's own mother. She immediately set to removing Duo of his coat, reminded him to remove his shoes – Heero's shoes - and went to put on a kettle of water, all the while muttering in alternating Japanese and English. Duo assumed it had something to do with him and snow.

Then the kettle was on and Mrs. Yuy turned, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning. "So?"

Duo fidgeted under her stare. "So, what?"

"What are you not in school?" she repeated. "And why did you think Heero would be home? Did you have a fight?"

"I… guess you could say that," Duo muttered. "I sort of didn't tell him about something, and he's angry at me for holding out on him."

Mrs. Yuy snorted. "That's stupid." Well, the woman had always been blunt. Heero got it from _somewhere_. "Heero cares about you too much to get angry about that. Why are you bruised, Duo? Does that have something to do with it?"

Duo chewed on his lower lip, considering filling her in, before he finally decided to just get it over with. Once Heero showed up he'd tell him anyway. He moved into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Mrs. Yuy continued to stand next to the kettle.

"Well, y'see, a bunch of guys at my school don't really like me, Okaasan," he began, using the name Heero often used. He forestalled her objections and continued. "They like _Heero_, but they don't like me being friends with Heero. For whatever reason, they like to… beat up on me."

Mrs. Yuy's face converted to a snarl that never failed to remind Duo of her son. "You tell me who they are; I'll kick their butts." Duo laughed shortly and shook his head.

"No, no," he said. "That's just why I didn't tell Heero. I can't have people fighting my battles for me. But… I don't know, after a while it got to the point where I just didn't want Heero to find out. I guess I was mad at myself… because I couldn't fend for myself," Duo muttered derisively. "It's embarrassing."

"Heero would not judge you," Mrs. Yuy replied easily. The kettle next to her started whistling, and she moved automatically to shut it off and pour three mugs of hot water.

"I know," Duo sighed. "Heero's the best thing that ever happened to me, Okaasan. Don't know what I'd do without him. But I wanted to do this myself, for once! And I think he's mad at me because I refused to let him in and solve my problems for me. He left the school, I'm sure of it, so I figured I'd come here and… explain."

Mrs. Yuy didn't reply, and instead the tiny woman poured a powder into two mugs, and plunked a tea bag into the other. She grabbed the handles and walked over with the three. She placed them on the table, passing one to Duo and keeping the one with the teabag for herself.

Duo eyed the third steaming mug. "Who's the third one for, Okaasan?" he asked warily, already assuming the answer. It turned out Mrs. Yuy didn't need to respond, as the front door chose that moment to swing open and slam shut again, swirls of cold, windy air making their way into the kitchen even though the door was out of view.

"Okaasan!" Heero's voice called. "I'm home early!"

"Heero," Mrs. Yuy returned. "Come into the kitchen. I made hot chocolate!"

"Really, Okaasan, thank you but-" Heero's speech stopped abruptly as he came into view of the table, only to find Duo staring at him in surprise.

"I didn't expect to beat you here," Duo murmured.

"I… took the long way," Heero replied. "To clear my head."

The two teens stared at each other for a moment before Mrs. Yuy cleared her throat. The woman stood, reaching up and running a hand through her son's snow-covered hair and smiling. "Why don't you and Duo go drink your hot chocolate in your room, hm? I think you have some things to straighten out."

Heero's eyes snapped from Duo's face to his mother's, and then fell on the extra mug. "Hai, Okaasan," he assented softly. He reached out and cradled the mug, looking to Duo and jerking his head in a beckoning motion. He then disappeared around the corridor towards his room.

"Well?" Heero's mother demanded of Duo, somewhat impatiently. "Go kiss him already!"

Duo's jaw dropped. "What?" he squeaked. Mrs. Yuy rolled her eyes.

"Odin and I have been waiting for _years_ for you two to just wake up!" she explained with a hint of exasperation. "So go work out whatever spat you're having!"

Too stunned to reply with anything other than bewildered glances, Duo collected his own steaming mug and followed after Heero.

…

The door to Heero's bedroom was closed behind him as he entered. He'd been expecting it. He continued walking forward, not turning to confront Heero just yet, and took a seat on Heero's single bed. Then, and only then, did he looked up at his best friend.

"Why couldn't you tell me?" were the first words out of his lips. Duo frowned.

"Because I didn't want you to know."

Heero grimaced. "Why the hell not?"

"Because I wanted to defend myself for once." Thus far the conversation was going calmly, but Duo expected it to escalate at any time. He hoped Mrs. Yuy didn't get too angry when it did.

"I want to be able to help you," Heero said through gritted teeth. Duo arched an eyebrow at the cryptic comment. "I want to be the one that helps you."

"What do you mean? You _are_ Heero, and I know it's a change tha-"

"_Mueller_ and _Alex_, Duo. Why couldn't you tell me?" Heero blurted out, letting out what had been eating away at him for the past hour.

Duo's eyes went wide. "What? How… how… did you find out?"

"How did I find out?" Heero repeated. "I walked outside and found Wufei with Alex and Mueller lying in the snow at his feet!"

"…What?" Duo's voice was raspy, and the mug in his hands threatened to fall from his fingers.

"Wufei, Duo! He beat the shit out of them! How the fuck could you tell _him_ but not _me_?"

"But I didn't tell him!" Duo protested. "Heero, no way, I didn't! I _wouldn't_!"

The blue eyed boy shook his head and looked pained. "But you did. I know you have pride, Duo, but… you're my best friend for God's sake. I just…" Heero studied Duo's face for a moment before shaking his head again. "Why did you have to tell him, and not me?"

Duo's head was shaking back and forth in denial, and he stood from his perch on Heero's bed. As an afterthought he placed his mug on Heero's night table, next to Heero's own, and moved towards his distraught friend. "Heero," he rasped, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Heero. I would _not_ tell Wufei and then not tell you. I'd never do that! I don't know how the hell Wufei found out at all! I… I didn't tell anyone, Heero. I swear!"

Dark, pained blue eyes regarded him seriously. He apparently accepted Duo's explanation as the truth. "Why can't you just let me handle things?"

Duo laughed, but there was little humor in it. "I'm not a girl, Heero. I don't want a big, bad jock taking care of me. I want to fool myself into thinking I can take care of my own problems." A tanned, slim hand reached out and stroked his cheek. Duo inhaled sharply.

"I know... that you're not a girl, Duo," the Japanese teen murmured. His eyes followed over the ugly bruises marring Duo's face where his hand was touching Duo's skin. He didn't seem to realize how close they had gotten. Duo did, however, and his breathing had picked up as Mrs. Yuy's words rang through his head.

_'Go kiss him already!'_

Did he want to kiss Heero? He wanted to yell at Heero some more, sure. He wanted Heero to be his best friend forever, sure. He thought Heero was a very attractive guy, sure. But kiss him? Did he really feel attracted _in that_ _way_ to Heero? And more importantly, did Heero feel that way about him?

_'Go kiss him already!'_

It seemed like Mr. and Mrs. Yuy had already been talking about this. What would his own mother think? What would their friends think? What would Trowa and Quatre think, seeing them together, smiling, holding hands, kissing…? How about Noin, and Milliardo? Would they even be allowed together in school? Were there policies against that sort of thing?

"You're thinking too hard," Heero mumbled. "You're worried about something."

"Have you ever wanted to kiss me?" Duo blurted. He immediately regretted it as Heero sucked in a breath and moved back. "I mean… I…. oh my God…" Duo pulled away from Heero, head shaking back and forth as it had just been doing. "I'm sorry. Holy shit. Oh, God. I can't believe I just said that." Louder, he said, "Damn you, Mrs. Yuy, and your corruption!" Then he looked at Heero again, staring at him like that, and his breathing picked up speed again. "Oh, shit, I gotta go…"

Duo moved towards the door, but a hand latched onto his arm and pulled him back. He was suddenly confronted with Heero's face and stared up at him, waiting for anger and harsh words and the end of their friendship… but instead, Heero's face merely got closer, and closer, and closer until… a brief, chaste press of warm lips against his and then Heero backed up again.

"Yeah," his friend said, in response to Duo's earlier question. "For a long time now."

Duo processed this information, felt the weight of his mind's previous questions weighing on him, and then proceeded to ignore it all. He stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Heero's shoulders and pressed their lips together again.

It was a few moments before either moved back. When they did, their eyes met and they smiled.

"I think I have, too," Duo told him. Heero grinned and kissed him again.

…

End Chapter 6 – No More Secrets

As I said at the beginning of this chapter, this fic is winding down. 

Maybe one, maybe two more chapters. ;


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